Helsinki Unseen

Spring Time Depression Tour at Lepakkomies

On a Wednesday evening, Helsinki’s Lepakkomies hosted two bands all the way from France as part of the Spring Time Depression Tour. The unfamiliar names on the bill promised some form of black metal-infused assault, so what was the worst that could happen by showing up to witness it? It would soon become clear whether the audience had been served a run-of-the-mill baguette or a carefully crafted buttery croissant.

Dead Undying

equipment, while two women waited motionlessly beside him. As producer and musician Jouni Tauriainen began conjuring heavy rhythms from his machines, the women remained perfectly still. Only after the vocals entered did they suddenly burst into motion as if struck by electricity. Their movements mirrored the music itself: raw, intense, and powerful.

It takes courage to dance in front of a nearly empty room where most of the audience stands motionless with their hands in their pockets. Later, an interview revealed that both women are accomplished professional dancers. Dead Undying describes its music as industrial death metal. Although no drums or stringed instruments were visible on stage, they were clearly present in the sound. Some songs featured rhythms you could almost dance to, but one thing united every track: the overwhelming weight of the electronic soundscape. The combination of the vocals and performance intrigued me enough to ask the trio about their project afterward.

According to the band, Dead Undying began as part of a dance production by choreographer Leena Harjunpää, who had recruited professional dancers to perform in the work. The contemporary dance piece called for harsh growled vocals, and the performers received coaching from Mathias Lillmåns of Finntroll and …And Oceans. After becoming familiar with extreme vocal techniques, both Leena and fellow vocalist-dancer Elina discovered that they genuinely enjoyed the style and found it empowering.

“It’s physically very demanding, and growling feels good. Everyone should growl a little every now and then,” Elina remarked.

From that experience emerged the idea of a band in which Jouni writes and performs the music while Leena and Elina handle the vocals. Jouni cites classic Fear Factory, Static-X, and Godflesh as key influences. The trio is currently working on new material and seeking a record deal. Because the band’s sound occupies a space between metal and industrial music, it has also gained attention from audiences within the industrial scene. Dead Undying will, among other appearances, perform at upcoming Helsinki Industrial Festival events.

Depressive Witches

Without a touch of actual depression, the Spring Time Depression Tour would perhaps be little more than a melancholic spring outing. At least in name, that missing ingredient arrived with Depressive Witches.

The French duo’s mission seemed to be lowering the mood after the energy of the opening act. Their tour information describes the band’s style as Black ‘n’ Roll, delivered by the two-man lineup of Torvuus and Sick Bab.

The band has released three full-length albums, the latest arriving in 2024. Their songs move forward at a comfortable mid-tempo pace, with the vocalist-guitarist occasionally stepping to the microphone to unleash gravelly snarls. The vocal delivery recalls the raspy style of Inquisition’s frontman, another notable two-person act. Atmospherically, the music brings to mind the dark, tortured compositions of Urfaust.

For one song, the drummer switched to guitar, adding some welcome variety to the performance. Depressive Witches seem to be carving out a place of their own somewhere between black metal and rock. They handle both styles convincingly, and it remains to be seen which direction the witches ultimately choose to follow.

Alkhemia

The evening’s final band made its ambitions clear through its stage design alone. The stage was adorned with black iron structures, spear-like ornaments, and decorations resembling candelabras. Incense burned among the occult props, creating an appropriately dark atmosphere before a single note had been played. The theatricality was undeniable, and one could not help but think that if a mosh pit broke out in this bar, somebody might end up impaled on the scenery.

As the music began, I assumed one of the guitarists or the bassist would handle vocal duties. To my surprise, and seemingly that of many others, a demonic-looking figure suddenly emerged from the audience and climbed onto the stage. Vocalist James growled and moved as though possessed. Whether his state was fueled by stronger substances or pure performance ecstasy remained a mystery.

A respectable crowd had gathered, and people clearly enjoyed the show, yet no one seemed willing to start a mosh pit except for the singer himself. Perhaps the reason was the enormous dreadlock windmill he spun around his head, repeatedly striking both floor and ceiling as it whipped through the air.

The band has just released its second album through Häxan’s Non Serviam Records. The black metal heard on the album is not especially brutal, but it is undeniably heavy, and the band appears fond of composing lengthy songs. Blast beats thunder through much of the material, while James delivers a raw yet remarkably articulate growling performance.

Live, the playing occasionally stumbled, but never enough to disrupt the overall experience. James’s stage presence felt neither overly polished nor artificial. Instead, it was unpredictable and aggressive in exactly the right way for this kind of music. There was little unnecessary chatter between songs. At one point, what sounded like a German-language children’s song filled the room before eventually being swallowed by another barrage of blast beats.

The audience showed its appreciation with enthusiastic applause. It was difficult to single out individual highlights from the live set, but the band’s recorded output has definitely earned a place on my listening list. Thanks largely to the group’s ferocious commitment to its stage performance, I can wholeheartedly recommend seeing Alkhemia live. It is easy to believe that this act will only continue to improve in the future, much like a fine wine.